Kia Niro hybrid crossover teased ahead of its debut next year

Currently Kia’s lineup of green vehicles consists of the Soul electric vehicle and the Optima hybrid, but Kia is getting ready to expand that list with a new dedicated hybrid called the Niro. Kia has released a batch of teaser photos of its new Niro crossover hybrid, which will be Kia’s first model that has been designed from the ground up to be a hybrid.

The Niro hybrid crossover will be about the same size as the Kia Sportage compact crossover, but under the hood the Niro will be powered by a new hybrid powertrain that it will share with Hyundai’s upcoming Toyota Prius rival. The setup will reportedly consist of a 1.6L four-cylinder engine that will be mated to an electric motor, a six-speed dual-clutch transmission and a lithium-polymer battery. Kia says that the Niro has been designed from the ground up to accommodate a range of environmentally-conscious technologies and next-generation powertrains, which will also likely include a plug-in hybrid version.

Kia hasn’t announced when it will take the wraps off the Niro concept, but it is being reported that it will be a global vehicle, which means that it will be introduced in the U.S. at some point. Production is expected to kick off by next fall in Korea.